Astronaut Mike Mullane
Colonel Mullane was born September 10, 1945 in Wichita Falls, Texas but spent much of his youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he currently resides. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1967, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force. As a Weapon Systems Operator aboard RF-4C Phantom aircraft, he completed 134 combat missions in Vietnam. He holds a Master's of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and is also a graduate of the Air Force Flight Test Engineer School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Mullane was selected as a Mission Specialist in 1978 in the first group of Space Shuttle Astronauts. He completed three space missions aboard the Shuttles Discovery (STS-41D) and Atlantis (STS-27 & 36) before retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1990.

Mullane has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and is the recipient of many awards, including the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit and the NASA Space Flight Medal. Since his retirement from NASA, Colonel Mullane has written an award-winning children's book, Liftoff! An Astronaut's Dream, and a popular space-fact book, Do Your Ears Pop In Space? His memoir, Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, has been reviewed in the New York Times and on the Jon Stewart Daily Show. It has also been featured on Barnes and Noble’s 2010 recommended summer reading list.

Mullane has held a lifelong passion for hiking and summited Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, on July 23, 2010. Colonel Mullane has established himself as an acclaimed professional speaker on the topics of teamwork, leadership and safety. He has educated, entertained, inspired and thrilled tens of thousands of people from every walk of business and government with his incredibly unique programs.

Edward J. Burke, III - ej.burke@am.dynonobel.com

E.J. has more than 43 years of diverse experience including 35 years in senior management with the DuPont Company, Explosives Technologies International (ETI), a successor company to DuPont’s Explosives Division, and Dyno Nobel Inc.

E.J.’s experience includes general management, sales, marketing, and business positions in the United States, Canada, Latin and South America and Australia as well as extensive experience in Human Resources and Finance.

E.J. is Dyno Nobel’s General Manager/Stone and lives in Dallas, Texas. He has a B.A. from the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Stuart Brashear - stuart.brashear@am.dynonobel.com
Stuart Brashear is a Project Manager for DynoConsult®, a division of Dyno Nobel. He earned his BA from Western MD College and has more than 26 years of industry knowledge and experience.

Stuart is very active in the mining and quarry industry with memberships in the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE); Society of Mining Engineers (SME); North Carolina Aggregates Association; Mining Association of South Carolina; American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); and many more.

Stuart started with Martin Marietta’s Blasting Research group and then worked as a Regional Manager for VibraTech. He then went on to work as a Dyno Nobel technical services representative in both regional and corporate organizations developing technical training modules to increase blasting service crew skills, leading customer BOT programs and projects, and implementing value-in-use and value-added solutions.

His current responsibilities include developing, managing and implementing projects focused on delivering value-creating process solutions to the quarrying, mining and construction industries. He also provides consultative service support to the Dyno Nobel’s Marketing and Sales and Service divisions. Stuart’s areas of specialty include vibration control; blast liability risk analysis; blast optimization; greensite/expansion/renewal permit assistance; litigation assessment and consulting; and coordinating inventory auditing for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

In his personal time Stuart would like to golf and keep up with NASCAR, but in reality, he says he spends most of his time chauffeuring horses around the southeast for his daughter.

J. Michael Bowling – mbowling@friedmanleak.com
Mike Bowling’s legal practice covers several areas with a focus on litigation. He currently represents two of the largest providers of explosives products and services in the State of Alabama. In addition to defending these companies against claims related to the sale, use and distribution of explosives throughout the Southeast, he counsels them on a wide array of business issues and litigation preventative measures.

Mr. Bowling also provides similar services to many surface coal mining and quarrying operations throughout the State of Alabama.

Mr. Bowling is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Alabama. He is also a member of numerous local, state and national organizations, including the Alabama Defense Lawyers Association, the Defense Research Institute, and is an attorney member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers. Mr. Bowling is a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. In 1996, he graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law. Mr. Bowling holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest rating for an attorney bestowed by that organization.

Jeff Friedman – jfriedman@friedmanleak.com

Mr. Friedman’s diverse legal practice is primarily litigation driven. As a defense attorney in various civil matters, Mr. Friedman has represented a wide array of corporate and professional interests. Mr. Friedman at one time defended the Governor of Alabama in a civil lawsuit and, in another case, defended a regional airline in the worst air disaster in the history of Alabama. He has litigated a number of cases including personal injury, professional liability, employment, product liability and fraud cases.

Mr. Friedman is a frequent speaker at client seminars and professional organizations. He has spoken and authored articles for the International Society of Explosives Engineers. Mr. Friedman has also lectured for the Alabama Bar Institute and Cumberland School of Law continuing legal education programs. In addition to professional organizations, Mr. Friedman and the lawyers of Friedman Leak, put on frequent seminars for our clients as part of our ongoing attorney-client relationships.

Another area of Mr. Friedman’s practice includes a commitment to advise and counsel longstanding firm clients in various legal negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations.

Mr. Friedman is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts as well as the United States Eleventh Circuit Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Friedman has litigated in over thirty counties in the State of Alabama and has been admitted, on a pro hac vice basis, to litigate in the States of Georgia and Oklahoma. Mr. Friedman holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell which is the highest rating for an attorney bestowed by that organization.

Scott Giltner - scott.giltner@am.dynonobel.com

Scott G. Giltner is currently a Senior Project Engineer for DynoConsult®, a division of Dyno Nobel. Scott earned his PhD in 1993 from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa; his Master of Science degree and Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla (Missouri School of Mines). In 2006, Scott also became certified as a Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute.

Scott is a member of the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE), Society of Mining Engineers (SME) and Project Management Institute (PMI). Scott has 26 years of industry experience, starting as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Missouri-Rolla School of Mines. He has worked as a research engineer for the Chamber of Mines of South Africa Research Organization and as a Program Engineer at the University of Missouri-Rolla School of Mines on US Navy and DOE research contracts.

Scott was self employed as a consultant and then joined Dyno Nobel as a technical sales representative as well as technical services representative in both the regional and corporate organizations, developing technical training modules to increase blasting service crew skills, leading customer BOT programs and projects, and implementing value-in-use and value-added solutions. Scott has worked in several countries including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Russia, and Canada.

His specialty area is blast optimization and instrumentation used for blast monitoring and quantifying blasting results. Scott’s current responsibilities include developing, managing and implementing projects focused on delivering value-creating process solutions to the quarrying, mining and construction industries. Scott also provides consultative service support to the Dyno Nobel’s Marketing and Sales & Service divisions. Outside of work, Scott enjoys spending time with his family, historical research, and bicycling.

Jeff Heinemann - jeff.heinemann@sandvik.com
Jeff Heinemann is Vice President, Construction for Sandvik Mining and Construction in the US and Canada. With a BS in Mining Engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology he has served 25 years in the industry. Jeff also has been an active member and participant in the SME, NSSGA, ISEE and several other local aggregate associations throughout the US.

Jeff started his career with Ingersoll-Rand Company in Milwaukee, WI as a Sales Engineer. He advanced through the organization in various roles including Distribution Manager, Regional Manager, Industry Manager, Country Manager in Australia covering Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Later he served as General Manager for Perimeter Bobcat in Atlanta, Georgia where he left in 2007 to become VP, Construction at Sandvik Mining and Construction.

In his current role he is responsible for the overall customer satisfaction as well as the growth and profitability of the group.

Jeff resides in Smyrna, Georgia with his wife, Laura, and son, Alex. He has traveled the world extensively and enjoys the outdoors – fishing, hiking, biking, camping and mineral collecting. He is still looking for the illusive ‘Mother Lode’.

Charles Hillmann - charles.hillmann@sandvik.com
Charles Hillmann is the Business Line Manager Screen Media for Canada and USA. He joined Svedala Industries in 1989, which was later acquired by Sandvik AB in 2001. Charles heads up the recently developed Screen Media aftermarket group for USA and Canada. Some of Charles responsibilities include the new manufacturing unit located just south of Montreal, the development of mobile primary jaw plants (wheel mounted) and the analysis of product and region market share. Charles developed various partnerships with distributors throughout Canada and also founded the first Canadian sales branch located in Quebec.

Working initially from 1979 as a Mechanical Technician on hard and then soft rock mining equipment with Atlas Copco, he then changed careers to marketing and became a product specialist in production drilling and later in mechanical cutting methods and drill tools. As time went on he became curious to what happened downstream and why production plants always complained about the “poor quality and size” of raw material fed to the process plant.

Then the opportunity arose when he received on offer to help launch the Canadian Crushing Group with Svedala Industries. The decision was to move into new challenges within the construction industry. Some of his accomplishments include involvement in research and development teams, market development teams and initial market launch of new products.

Charles has travelled extensively to customer sites, construction projects and manufacturing facilities around the world. His hobbies include sailing, automobiles and hockey.

William Hissem - bill.hissem@sandvik.com
Mr. William Hissem is the Senior Mining Applications Engineer for Sandvik Mining and Construction LLC in North America.

After taking a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering at Colorado School of Mines in 1979, he worked for ASARCO, Amax Metals, and Eisenman Chemical at mine operations in the western US. His work included a full spectrum of engineering staff and field production assignments in both open pit and underground operations.

He then joined Tamrock in 1983 where his work initially focused on hydraulic top-hammer drilling and its practical applications in the US market.

Since that time, Mr. Hissem has developed and implemented proprietary time-study and cost analysis software specific to drilling applications in the course of serving clients throughout North America, South America, and Western Europe.

Currently he is responsible for assisting Sandvik’s customers and clients in the mining, quarrying, and construction sectors of the industry with process and optimization solutions using the full range of rock excavation and process equipment available today.

He is an active member in SME, ISEE, and is currently on the Executive M&S Board of Directors for NSSGA.

Brian Hostetler - brian.hostetler@am.dynonobel.com
Brian Hostetler is an Electronic Initiation Systems Technical Representative for Dyno Nobel Americas based in Penn-sylvania.

Brian started his career in the explosives industry in 1997 when he was hired as a driver. After 3 years, he was promoted to Blaster Supervisor but his desire to learn new technology and grow with Dyno Nobel manifested in his transfer to Dyno Nobel’s electronic initiation systems team. Working with the electronic initiation systems team over the last 4 years has provided an opportunity to travel extensively around the U.S. as well as internationally to train blasters and quarry personnel on the use of Dyno Nobel’s electronic initiation systems.

In his spare time, Brian enjoys camping, woodworking, and spending time with family.

Arne Lislerud - arne.lislerud@sandvik.com
Mr. Arne Lislerud is the Surface Applications Manager for Sandvik Mining and Construction Drills. After taking a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1980 and a PhD in Surface Blasting Operations in 1990 at the University of Trondheim, he joined Tamrock in Finland as a research engineer. He has 28 years of experience in the industry and is a member of the International Society of Explosive Engineers, International Society of Rock Mechanics and Norwegian Society of Rock Mechanics.

Currently Arne is responsible for Quarry Academy, Presplit Seminar, SimQuarry and QuarryGame within SMC. Away from work, Arne enjoys being outdoors and in his younger years was a mountain climber. Now he enjoys hiking and skiing with his wife and Ruffe, a Newfoundlander. He also enjoys being a hobby photographer and reading epic novels and history books in front of the fireplace.

He currently resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife and three daughters who have traveled the globe with him. He is continuing to explore his new country at every opportunity and energize Sandvik Region USC in his current role. We are fortunate to have him with us to share his wealth of experience and expertise.

Larry Mirabelli - larry.mirabelli@am.dynonobel.com

Larry Mirabelli is a Senior Technical Consultant with DynoConsult® and an industry leader in explosive application and blasting optimization. Since joining DynoConsult® in 2002, he has been focused on delivering value-creating process solutions to the quarrying, mining and construction industries.

Larry has more than 36 years work experience in the explosive industry including positions in: research & development; manufacturing; technical services; marketing; vibration & air blast monitoring / control; and blasting. His hands-on explosive application and blasting experience includes: quarrying (surface & underground); metal / nonmetal mining (surface & underground); coal mining (surface & underground); construction & tunneling; and geophysical prospecting throughout North America. He also has been called on to work on blasting based value-creating assignments in Japan, Canada, Latin America and the Dominican Republic.

With a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering, Larry's academic training complements his industry experience.

Larry is a member of the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE) and serves on the Technical Program Committee. He is also a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and an MSHA Part 48 Training Instructor for Underground and Surface.

David Nus - david.nus@volvo.com
Mr. David Nus is the global Segment Leader for Volvo CE’s efforts in the quarry, aggregates and mining industries. While earning an engineering degree at Purdue University, he spent his summers/holidays as a sales engineering intern at VME Americas, supporting large Michigan loaders and Euclid rigid trucks.

In 1993 David joined VME full time and stayed in the Euclid-Hitachi joint venture through the 1990’s. He held several positions as Product Manager and Area Sales Manager for Euclid quarry/mining trucks, managing business and dealer development throughout Asia/Oceania from 1995-2000.

In 2000, David joined Hitachi CM Europe in the Netherlands, managing all sales and marketing of large/mining excavators and rigid trucks throughout the Europe, Africa, Middle East, and CIS markets. This included key accounts development and dealer development.

In 2004 he returned to North America and Volvo CE, holding several positions in the excavator team, including 3 years pioneering business development in the demolition, waste and recycling industries. In 2009 David returned to his roots in aggregates and mining, to lead Volvo CE’s efforts with all products in these industries around the world.

James Van Orsdel - vanorsdeljim@bfusa.com
Mr. Van Orsdel is currently the manager for original equipment engineering for the Bridgestone OTR group.

Mr. Van Orsdel received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Youngstown State University.

Mr Van Orsdel joined BF Goodrich after graduation from college and held various jobs related to materials pertaining to passenger, truck, aircraft, and OTR tires and was project leader on several OTR and aircraft tire projects. Mr Van Orsdel held management positions in the Akron complex and Norwood plant with Aircraft tires dealing with General Aviation, Military, Commercial, and Space shuttle tires.

BF Goodrich Aircraft tires was purchased by Michelin in the late 1980s and he continued to work with Michelin until he left to work with Bridgestone in 1992 as a process engineering manager for their truck and high performance passenger tire plant in Laverne, TN.

He is currently involved on TRA and SAE subcommittees related to OTR tires and worked with the Akron Rubber group on the executive board when stationed in Akron, Ohio.

In 1998 he returned OTR tires as manager of original equipment engineering. Accounts include: John Deere, Case New Holland, Komatsu, Liebherr, JLG, Volvo, Sandvik, Kawasaki, etc. Responsibilities include introducing new products, presenting material enhancements and insuring customer satisfaction thru field activities.

George Schlemmer - george.schlemmer@sandvik.com
George Schlemmer is the Manager for Crushing and Screening products for Sandvik Mining and Construction. George holds a BSB/M (Business Management) and Design Engineering Degree. He is currently in pursuit of his Masters Degree in Business.

His family operated a business which manufactured jaw crushers, feeders and screens so George was exposed to the power of good customer service and doing what is right. His family also operated a small recycle operation which serviced the ceramic industry, so George well understands the importance of being a good neighbor and caring for the environment. George has over 25 years of experience in our industry comprised of ~13 years as an engineer and the past 13 years in dealer-territory and product management positions.

This past winter, George had the privilege of being an assistant coach for his son’s (church) basketball team. This experience was very rewarding with the two most common phases used being: "hands-up" and "quit watching the clock" ...it was like herding gold fish at times.

George’s passions are family, business and NASCAR, no doubt... He also has a rock collection!

Alex Scott - alex.scott@sandvik.com
Another Scot, born in Campbeltown, Argyll… the home of great whisky!

Alex has more than 41 years experience in crushing and screening. He joined Allis Chalmers (GB) Ltd in 1966 and has worked in application engineering, capital sales, service and product management.

Since 2001, Alex has worked internationally, travelling to such far flung corners as Africa, Australia, South and North America and China.

His main function is as an educator. He’s known in the industry as a mechanical and process troubleshooter Married (just), two married girls, no grandchildren - but lives in hope.

Per Svedensten - per.svedensten@sandvik.com
Per Svedensten is Manager for the Crushing and Screening Process Expertise Team.

He obtained his Ph.D. (Mech. Eng.) from Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden) in 2007. The title of his Ph.D. thesis is Crushing Plant Performance. In the thesis, methods for optimizing the crushing plant performance are described. Both technical and economic models are utilized to make the optimization.

One of his key responsibilities is to develop Sandvik’s crushing plant simulation software PlantDesigner. Some of the research findings from his thesis work are now implemented in an internal version of PlantDesigner. He is also continuing his research with the aim to develop more advanced methods for technical-economic optimisation of crushing plants.

The Crushing and Screening Process Expertise Team is also responsible for the Test Centre for rock materials, Education and Training, and Process Development. The team aims to mix advanced technical studies with practical field work and experiments.

In his spare time, Per enjoys road bike cycling and home improvement projects.

Sandy Tavelli - sandy.tavelli@am.dynonobel.com
Sandy Tavelli is currently the Global Product Manager Electronic Initiation Systems for Dyno Nobel and serves as the technical liaison between Dyno Nobel and DetNet South Africa, a joint venture between Dyno Nobel and AEL (African Explosives Limited) focused on the development of advanced electronic initiation technologies.

Sandy has over 35 years of work experience in the explosives industry, holding various positions including: research & development, quality engineering, laboratory manager, technical services and marketing. His work experience over the past two decades has focused on development of initiation system technologies and dynamic measurement techniques for field evaluation of product performance in both surface and underground applications. In his current role of Product Manager - Electronic Initiation Systems, he is focused on the development of electronic initiation system technologies, and their practical application in the mining industry.

He is an active member of the ISEE (International Society of Explosives Engineers) and past Officer of the Northern Plains ISEE Chapter. Additionally, Sandy maintains an active participation with the IME’s technical sub-committee on electronic initiation as well as an active membership in the International Pyrotechnic Society.